9930. And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold. That this signifies enlightenment from the Lord’s Divine good, is evident from the signification of “a plate,” as being enlightenment; and from the signification of “gold,” as being the good of love, here the Lord’s Divine good, because there was inscribed upon it, “Holiness to Jehovah.” (That “gold” denotes the good of love, see n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 8932, 9490, 9510, 9874, 9881.) That “the plate” denotes enlightenment, was from its brightness, for it was resplendent from gold upon Aaron’s forehead, and all brightness signifies enlightenment such as is in the heavens from the Lord as the Sun. Enlightenment in the heavens is wisdom and intelligence from the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord from that Sun, for this enlightens their interiors. Their interiors correspond to the understanding with man, which is enlightened by the Lord when the truth and good of the church and heaven are perceived; for the understanding is the recipient subject; because without a subject there is no reception. That this “plate” denotes enlightenment from the Lord’s Divine good, is because upon it was inscribed “Holiness to Jehovah,” and it was placed upon the front of the miter, which was upon Aaron’s head. The “holiness” which is from Jehovah denotes the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine good (n. 6788, 8302, 8330, 9229, 9680, 9820). In order that this plate might represent the shining forth, that is, the enlightenment, from which come wisdom and intelligence, it was bound on the forefront of the miter.

[2] As by “the plate” was signified enlightenment from the Lord’s Divine good, it was also called “the plate of the crown of holiness,” and likewise “the crown of holiness;” for a crown is a representative of Divine good, and “holiness” denotes the Divine truth thence proceeding, as was said above. That it was called “the plate of the crown of holiness,” is plain in what follows in this book of Exodus:

Lastly they made the plate of the crown of holiness of pure gold, and wrote upon it with the writing of the engravings of a signet, Holiness to Jehovah (Exodus 39:30).

That it was also called “the crown of holiness,” is evident from another passage in Exodus:

Thou shalt set the miter upon his head, and put the crown of holiness upon the miter (Exodus 29:6).

He set the miter upon his head; and upon the miter, opposite the faces of it, did he set the plate of gold, the crown of holiness (Leviticus 8:9).

[3] That a crown represented Divine good from which is Divine truth, is evident from the crowns of kings; for kings represented the Lord in respect to Divine truth (see n. 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148); wherefore they had a crown on the head, and a scepter in the hand; for government from Divine good was represented by a crown, and government from Divine truth by a scepter.

[4] That a “crown” has this signification is evident from the following passages.

In David:

I will make a horn to bud unto David; I will set in order a lamp for Mine anointed. His enemies will I clothe with shame; but upon Himself shall His crown flourish (Psalms 132:17-18);

“David” here denotes the the Lord, (n. 1888, like the “anointed” (n. 3008, 3009); his “horn” denotes power (n. 2832, 9081); “a lamp” denotes the Divine truth from which is intelligence (n. 9548, 9783); the “crown” denotes the Divine good from which is wisdom, and from which is also His government; the crown, which denotes wisdom, is said “to flourish” because in respect to the Human He acquired wisdom in the world by means of combats against and victories over the hells (n. 9548, 9783), which are the “enemies that shall be clothed with shame.”

[5] Again:

Thou art angry with Thine anointed, Thou hast condemned His crown even to the earth (Psalms 89:38-39); where also “the anointed” denotes the Lord; “anger” denotes a state of temptations which existed when He was in combats with the hells; the lamentation at that time is described by “anger” and “condemnation;” as for instance the last lamentations of the Lord on the cross, that He was “forsaken;” for the cross was the last of the temptations, that is, of the combats with the hells; and after this last temptation He put on Divine good, and in this way united His Divine Human to the Divine Itself that was in Him.

[6] In Isaiah:

In that day shall Jehovah Zebaoth be for a crown of adornment, and for a diadem of comeliness, to the remains of His people (Isaiah 28:5); where “a crown of adornment” denotes the wisdom which is of good from the Divine; “a diadem of comeliness,” the intelligence of truth from this good; this is predicated of Divine things with the people; the “people” here denote the church, because it was there.

[7] In the same:

For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation burn as a lamp; and thou shalt be a crown of comeliness in the hand of Jehovah, and a miter of the kingdom in the hand of thy God (Isaiah 62:1, 3).

By “Zion” and “Jerusalem” is meant the church, by “Zion” the celestial church, and by “Jerusalem” the spiritual church thence derived; “a crown of comeliness” denotes the wisdom which is of good, and “a miter of the kingdom,” the intelligence which is of truth; and as by “a crown” is signified the wisdom which is of good, therefore it is said to be “in the hand of Jehovah;” and as by “a miter” is signified the intelligence which is of truth, therefore it is said to be “in the hand of God;” for where good is treated of, the name “Jehovah” is used, and where truth is treated of, the name “God” (n. 2586, 2769, 6905).

[8] In Jeremiah:

Say thou to the king and to the mistress, Renounce yourselves, sit down; for the adornment of your head is come down, even the crown of your comeliness (Jeremiah 13:18); where “the crown of comeliness” denotes the wisdom which is of good from Divine truth, for “comeliness” denotes the Divine truth of the church (n. 9815). In the same:

The joy of our heart hath ceased; our dance is turned into mourning; the crown of our head is fallen (Lam. 5:15-16).

“The crown of the head” denotes the wisdom which those who are of the church have from Divine truth, by virtue of which they are more excellent than the rest of the peoples, and hence have a kind of government.

[9] In Ezekiel:

He put a jewel upon thy nose, and earrings in thine ears, and a crown of adornment upon thine head (Ezekiel 16:12).

The subject here treated of is the setting up of the church; “a jewel upon the nose” denotes the perception of good; “earrings in the ears” denote the perception of truth, and obedience; “a crown upon the head” denotes the wisdom thence derived.

In Job:

He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken away the crown of my head (Job 19:9); where “glory” denotes the intelligence which is of Divine truth (n. 9429); “the crown of the head” denotes the wisdom thence derived.

[10] In Revelation:

Upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders, clothed in white garments; who had upon their heads golden crowns. They fell down before Him that was sitting upon the throne, and worshiped Him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne (Revelation 4:4, 10).

The “four and twenty elders” signify all those who are in good from truths, and in the abstract sense all goods from truths (n. 6524, 9404); the “thrones” denote truths from the Divine (n. 5313, 6397, 8625, 9039); the “golden crowns on their heads” are representatives of wisdom from the Divine, and because this is from the Divine, therefore they cast them before Him that was sitting upon the throne.

[11] As the good of wisdom is acquired by means of temptation combats, which are carried on by means of the truths of faith, therefore crowns were assigned to those who fought against evils and falsities and overcame; and for this reason also the crowns of martyrdom were badges of command from the Lord over evils. That “crowns” denote the rewards of victory over evils, and that for this reason they denote the goods of wisdom, because these are the rewards, is also evident from Revelation:

I saw, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon it had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown; and he went forth conquering, and to conquer (Revelation 6:2).

The “white horse and he that sat upon it” signify the Lord as to the Word (n. 2760-2762); “a bow” denotes the doctrine of truth, by means of which the combat is waged (n. 2686, 2709); from this it is evident that the “crown,” because said of the Lord, denotes the Divine good, which is the reward of victory.

[12] And in another passage:

Afterward I saw, and behold a white cloud; and upon the cloud one sitting like unto the Son of man, having upon his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle (Revelation 14:14).

“A white cloud” denotes the literal sense of the Word (n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8781); “the Son of man” denotes the Divine truth which is from the the Lord, (n. 9807); “a golden crown,” the Divine good from which is the Divine truth; “a sharp sickle” denotes the dispersing of evil and falsity. And again:

Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).

Behold I come quickly; hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown (Revelation 3:11).

The “crown” denotes good from truths, thus wisdom; for this belongs to the good of love from the truths of faith. From all this it can now be seen what is signified by a “crown,” and what by “the crown of holiness,” which was the plate of gold on which was engraved “Holiness to Jehovah.”

3488. That the second state of the perversion of the church was described by the foregoing words of the Lord in the evangelist, is evident from their internal sense, which is as follows:

All these things are the beginning of sorrows;

signifies those things which precede-that is, which are of the first state of the perversion of the church-which as before said is that they would begin no longer to know what is good and what is true, but would dispute about it among themselves, from which would arise falsities, and therefore heresies. That such things perverted the church before many centuries had elapsed, is evident from the fact that the church in the Christian world was divided, and this according to opinions concerning good and truth; thus that the perversion of the church commenced long ago.

[2] Then shall they deliver you into tribulation, and shall kill you;

signifies that good and truth would perish, first by “tribulation,” that is, by perversion; afterwards by their “killing” them, that is, by denial. (That to “kill,” when predicated of good and truth, is not to receive, thus is to deny, may be seen above, n. 3387, 3395.) By “you,” that is, by the apostles, are signified all things of faith in one complex, thus its good as well as its truth. That these things are signified by the twelve apostles may be seen above (n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3354) and here the same is clearly evident; for it is not the preaching of the apostles that is treated of, but the consummation of the age.

[3] And ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake;

signifies contempt and aversion for all things which are of good and truth; “to hate” is to despise and hold in aversion, for this is of hatred; “of all nations” signifies by those who are in evil (that such are meant by “nations” may be seen above, n. 1259, 1260, 1849, 1868, 2588); “for My name’s sake” is on account of the Lord, thus on account of all things which are from Him (that the Lord’s “name” is everything in one complex by which He is worshiped, thus everything which is of His church, may be seen above (2724), n (3006). 2724, 3006).

[4] And then shall many be offended, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another;

signifies enmities on account of these things; “many shall be offended” denotes enmity in itself; the Human itself of the Lord is that against which there is enmity; that this would be an offense and a stumbling-block is here and there predicted in the Word; “they shall deliver up one another” denotes enmity among themselves from falsity against truth; “and shall hate one another” denotes enmity among themselves from evil against good.

[5] And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray;

signifies preachings of falsity (that “false prophets” are those who teach falsities, thus false doctrine, may be seen above, n. 2534) “and shall lead many astray” denotes that there should be derivations therefrom.

[6] And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the charity of many shall wax cold;

signifies the expiring of charity together with faith; “because iniquity shall be multiplied” denotes according to the falsities of faith; “the charity of many shall wax cold” denotes the expiring of charity, for they keep pace together; where faith is not, there charity is not, and where charity is not, faith is not; but charity is that which receives faith, and no charity is that which rejects faith: this is the origin of every falsity and every evil.

[7] But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved;

signifies the salvation of those who are in charity; “he that endureth to the end” is he who does not suffer himself to be led astray, thus who does not succumb in temptations.

[8] And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole inhabited earth, for a testimony unto all nations;

signifies that this should first become known in the Christian world; “shall be preached” denotes that it should be made known; “this gospel of the kingdom” is this truth that it is so; “gospel” denotes the annunciation; “kingdom” denotes truth (that “kingdom” denotes truth may be seen above, n. 1672, 2547); “in the whole inhabited earth” denotes the Christian world (that “earth” is the region where the church is, thus the Christian world, may be seen above, n. 662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 2928, 3355). The church here is called “inhabited” from the life of faith, that is, from the good which is of truth; for in the internal sense “to inhabit” denotes to live; and the “inhabitants” are the goods of truth (n. 1293, 2268, 2451, 2712, 3384); “for a testimony” denotes that they may know, and not make a pretext that they have been ignorant; “to all nations” denotes to evils (n. 1259, 1260, 1849, 1868, 2588); for when they are in falsity and evil, they no longer know what is true and what is good; they then believe falsity to be truth, and evil to be good, and the reverse; and when the church is in this state, “then shall the end come.” In what now follows and what of the Lord’s Divine mercy will be unfolded prefatory to the next chapter of Genesis, that state of the church is treated of which is called the “abomination of desolation,” which is the third state.